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Cypher 6
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Joined: 18 Apr 2012
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Topic: Power Supply on/off question Posted: 24 May 2012 at 4:30pm |
Hello all, I just received my DS system and needless to say so far I'm EXTREMELY pleased (review forthcoming after I break it in). I just have a rather silly question. The power supply that I have has an on/off switch (I was aware of this when ordering) but I wanted to know if it was better to leave it in the "on" position all the time or is it preferable to turn the switch "off" when powering down the system? I was so excited about ordering that I forgot to seek advice on this issue  . All the other PSU's I've had have not had the on/off switch.
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bprat22
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Posted: 24 May 2012 at 4:41pm |
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I turned mine on when setting it up and never touched it since. Some turn of their surge protector each time they shut down. I simply power off through Windows and that is it.
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Cypher 6
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Posted: 24 May 2012 at 4:59pm |
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That's what I was thinking. Thanks a lot, I appreciate it!
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westom
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Posted: 24 May 2012 at 7:05pm |
Originally posted by Cypher 6
... but I wanted to know if it was better to leave it in the "on" position all the time or is it preferable to turn the switch "off" when powering down the system? |
Other electronics have a black wall wart, vampire consumer, power brick, or whatever you want to call it. When the appliance is off, that 'brick' still consumes watts.
Your system has the same 'brick' inside. A power switch is equivalent to removing the ‘power brick’ from a wall receptacle. So that those additional watts do not create unnecessary heat.
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Asangard
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Joined: 21 Aug 2009
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Posted: 24 May 2012 at 7:47pm |
I turned on my PSU when I got my PC over 2 yrs ago. I haven't touched it since. Although I have every thing plugged into a surge protector. Once I shut down within windows I turn off my surge protector. I am one of those that bprat22 mentioned in his post.
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All evil comes from within,
Not from Without,
Therefore, the 1st step on the Holy Warrior path,
Is to recognize thyself as thy 1st enemy.
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jseidel
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Posted: 24 May 2012 at 8:12pm |
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The battery on the motherboard that loads the CMOS is continuously charged by leaving the PS on. It will shorten the life of the motherboard battery if the power is cut off most of the time. I turn my PS switch off when replacing or adding components to the motherboard, such as a sound or video card or changing connections. Otherwise, it is ON all the time. I turn the computer off via Windows shutdown and that's it.
J.
Edited by jseidel - 24 May 2012 at 8:14pm
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Cypher 6
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Posted: 24 May 2012 at 9:42pm |
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Thanks for the input everyone, great responses :)
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westom
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Posted: 25 May 2012 at 6:50am |
Originally posted by jseidel
The battery on the motherboard that loads the CMOS is continuously charged by leaving the PS on. It will shorten the life of the motherboard battery if the power is cut off most of the time.. |
A CMOS battery is never recharged. It is a not rechargeable lithium battery.
That battery does not discharge any faster when power is on or off. Battery life expectancy is defined by something called 'shelf life'. Shelf life is same whether the battery is on the motherboard or on a shelf.
Power to or not to the motherboard says nothing about CMOS battery life expectancy. Most obvious. That battery is not rechargeable.
Edited by westom - 25 May 2012 at 6:54am
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jseidel
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Posted: 26 May 2012 at 11:38am |
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RE: Recharging of CMOS battery with power supply ON/Reply from westom -
Apparently I learned misinformation on another forum I participated in several years ago.
I stand corrected.
J.
Edited by jseidel - 26 May 2012 at 11:42am
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Tidgxor
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Joined: 17 Sep 2010
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Posted: 26 May 2012 at 1:11pm |
I only turn mine off when I'm cleaning or moving the system. I've been doing that since 95 or so with no issues (before then I always did, but I felt like eletronics were much more fickle in the 80s  ), its really up to you!
Edited by Tidgxor - 26 May 2012 at 2:19pm
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FrankW
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Posted: 26 May 2012 at 2:16pm |
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Every since I got my first IBM 5100 in 1981 I have turned off my computers every night at the power strip. My computers last a long time and I have never had problems. Never had a memory stick, HDD, CPU or GPU fail.
Frank
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westom
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Posted: 27 May 2012 at 6:33am |
Originally posted by jseidel
Apparently I learned misinformation on another forum I participated in several years ago. . | This industry is full of 'experts' who, for example, do not even know how electricity works. An A+ Certified Tech needs no electrical knowledge to pass the test.
Essential to separating myths from reality are the reasons why. Especially numbers. Any recommendation without the underlying hard facts and numbers is best considered wild speculation. See same with hyping of Arctic Silver, more chassis fans, and power conditioning. More examples of knowledge generated by subjective reasoning in advertising or via hearsay.
Reasons why separate hard facts from myths. Even if you do not know the underlying science. Because myths become obvious if those provided reasons are bogus. If a myth promoter cannot explains the underlying science.
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jseidel
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Posted: 27 May 2012 at 10:30am |
"This industry is full of 'experts' who, for example, do not even know how electricity works. An A+ Certified Tech needs no electrical knowledge to pass the test."
Yep, and even the current A+ Certification textbook contains the same misinformation I learned some time ago. Easy to understand how this got around:
CMOS Battery . . . Recharges?
J.
Edited by jseidel - 27 May 2012 at 10:32am
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Tidgxor
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Posted: 27 May 2012 at 10:55am |
Are watch batteries rechargeable? Next question
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bprat22
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Posted: 27 May 2012 at 2:31pm |
I heard if you blow on them hard enough, they will charge. Wind Power Rocks.
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Asangard
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Posted: 27 May 2012 at 3:44pm |
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All evil comes from within,
Not from Without,
Therefore, the 1st step on the Holy Warrior path,
Is to recognize thyself as thy 1st enemy.
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